Re: [LAU] Simple hardware & software for digitizing analog audio recordings

i use jack_capture to save to flac. i have a music hall turntable, feeding a NAD preamp, which then feeds my frontier designs tango24 ADC which feeds my RME audio interface. the biggest obstacle: i have to manually create track boundaries or per-track files *if* i want them. second biggest obstacle: the music hall is a fully manual deck, so i have to be there to both stop the recording *and* lift the tonearm off the vinyl. On 3/4/12, Adam<adam707(a)verizon.net> wrote: > Hello everyone! I just joined this list and already I feel I'm in > way over my head. :-) I have one simple question, but it definitely > involves using Linux for audio. In fact, it's such a simple and > common question that I'm almost embarrassed to ask the experts here > about it. > > I've finally got my collection of analog sound recordings (LPs and > audiocassettes) down to the relatively few that aren't available in > any digital format but are worth preserving. That means I'll have > to digitize those myself. So -- > > Can anyone recommend (or disparage) any particular hardware and > software for digitizing sound recordings? > > Here are some specifics about my equipment and my expectations: > > Something close to CD quality or 320 kbps MP3s will be "good enough" > here. I'll be dealing only with existing stereo recordings. I > already have a turntable, receiver (including phono preamp), and > cassette deck, all working, that are IMO good enough. I also have > the 25' of audio cables (RCA plugs) necessary to connect my "stereo > system" to my computer, unless rearranging my entire room to bring > them closer together would make a significant difference. > > At the computer end, I have an low-end Compaq desktop with > integrated audio (inadequate quality for input here) running > Mandriva 2010.0, an available PCIe-x16 slot and some USB 2.0 ports > (no Firewire), plus lots (hundreds of GBs) of free HD space. For > the new audio hardware, I'd prefer something that not only fits this > machine and runs well under Linux, but will also be usable in future > desktop Linux systems (e.g. not a plain PCI card if possible). > Anything that would fit into that PCIe x16 slot (I understand a PCIe > x1 card will work in a PCIe x16 slot) or a USB port -- I just need > something that will accept line-level stereo inputs. I'm hoping to > find something decent in the US $40-80 range, new or used. > > For software, I thought I could use 'rec' to put the digitized audio > into some standard file format (and automatically split it into > tracks if desired), and 'audacity' for the digital signal processing > (noise reduction, declicking, etc.). Or are there other programs > that would be better for me, either in audio quality or ease of use? > > Any recommendations for hardware or software, especially hardware, > would be very much appreciated! Suggestions on where else to look > for advice would be welcomed too. Thanks!